Disinfecting product

ABSTRACT

A method and composition for eradicating bacteria from animal carcasses. The composition comprises a solution coating aliphatic medium chain fatty acids, a chelating agent, enough hydrochloric acid to maintain the solution at an acid pH and enough water to dilute the solution to an appropriate concentration of fatty acids. Animal carcasses to be treated are baptized in the solution for ten to thirty minutes, removed and rinsed. Animal carcasses may also be treated by spraying the solution on the carcasses to be treated. When the solution is to be sprayed on a carcass, a thickener such as a polysaccharide is added to the solution such that the spray solution sticks or holds onto the treated carcass.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 07/785,772, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,703.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods fordisinfecting the surface of animal carcasses and in particular to acomposition and method including certain fatty acids to kill entericpathogens and spoilage organisms located on the surface of animalcarcasses.

Bacterial contamination of animal carcasses continues to be a majorproblem in the meat processing industry. Enteric pathogens and spoilageorganisms such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Pseudomonas andEnterobacteracae seem to be omnipresent particularly Salmonella andCampylobacter in the poultry environment. These bacteria appear to adaptto changes in the environment and have survived numerous improvements insanitation, antibacterial drugs and other chemical treatments.

Authorities differ in opinion as to how and when carcasses becomecontaminated with the Salmonella bacteria. Some authorities argue thatthe Salmonella bacteria is on the skin of most of the chickens enteringprocessing facilities. They further argue that little crosscontamination of the carcasses occurs during processing due to existingsanitizing practices. However, existing sanitizing practices do noteffectively reduce or eliminate the Salmonella bacteria already on thechickens, especially bacteria that are in pores or other protected areason the skin. These protected bacteria are spread about the chickencarcasses during processing, so most of the carcasses leaving theprocessing facility are still contaminated with these pathogens.

Others argue that the Salmonella bacteria is attached to relatively fewof the chickens entering processing facilities and most of the carcassesare cross contaminated with the Salmonella bacteria during processing.For example, Salmonella may be transferred from the excrement of onecarcass to the feathers of another while in a poultry transportcontainer.

In order to reveal the numerous possibilities for Salmonellacontamination in the processing of poultry, the various steps of theprocess are briefly set forth. Usually, the process begins with theslaughtering of a chicken and then immersion of the carcass into a scaldtank. The scald tank temperature is from about 50 to 60 degreesCentigrade. The carcass is then plucked and eviscerated.

The carcass is then placed into a chiller tank. The United StatesDepartment of Agriculture (USDA) Safety and Quality Service regulationsrequire that the chicken carcasses be cooled to below 40 degreesFahrenheit within four hours after slaughter, that two quarts of watermust flow from a chiller tank for each chicken carcass cooled. Thecarcasses must not gain more than eight percent water weight during theentire procedure. Other requirements exist for different types ofpoultry such as turkeys, and are typically dependent upon the size ofthe animal. Chillers used in the cooling process normally use cold wateror a water and ice slush to remove animal heat from carcasses. Coolingwater in the chill tank is maintained at approximately 34 degreesFahrenheit (F.). The carcasses are typically tumbled through the chillerand in the process blood, lipid, dirt, bacteria and other particulatematter wash off the carcass and become suspended in the chiller water.

It has been suggested that various organic acids, such as acetic andlactic be added to the scald tank in an attempt to disinfect thecarcasses. Chlorine has been added to both the scald tank and thechiller tank for this purpose. Although these tactics may be successfulin reducing or eliminating cross contamination, none of these treatmentshave been completely successful in eradicating Salmonella on thechicken. Many of the acid treatments are successful in highconcentration to kill Salmonella but such high concentrations adverselyaffect the organoleptic appearance of the carcass or render the skineasily bruised and damaged during the remainder of the processingprocedure.

It has previously been shown in certain industrial and commercialapplications that certain fatty acids have an inhibitory orbacteriocidal effect on certain bacterial species. In particular,mixtures of fatty acids have been utilized for sanitizing processingfacilities, such as pipelines; however, the literature does not disclosedirect use on animals or animal carcasses. Furthermore, not all fattyacids or compositions containing various mixtures thereof would beacceptable for use on animal carcasses. Certain short chain fatty acidshaving from about 4 to 7 carbon atoms have a particularly rancid,obnoxious odor, making them unacceptable if used in high concentrations.The low water solubility and surface tension of fatty acids also poses adifficulty in preparing sanitizing solutions having fatty acidsdissolved therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises novel compositions and methods forcontrolling enteric pathogens and spoilage organisms such as Salmonella,Campylobacter, Listeria, Pseudomonas and Enterobacteracae on the surfaceof meat products, particularly poultry. In general, the compositionscomprise aqueous solutions having an effective concentration of a fattyacid or mixture of fatty acids having about eight to twelve carbonatoms.

In one embodiment of the present invention, poultry carcasses areimmersed in a diluted fatty acid sanitizing solution. A sanitizingsolution concentrate further includes a solubilizing acid, such asacetic acid to maintain the fatty acids in solution. The sanitizingsolution also includes a sufficient amount of buffering acid such ashydrochloric acid to maintain the solution at an acidic pH, preferablyat a pH from about 2.0 to 4.0. The sanitizing solution also preferablyincludes an effective amount of citric acid to increase theantibacterial activity of the fatty acids with respect to Gram-negativebacteria such as Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Listeria, Campylobacter andEnterobacteracae.

During processing of the chicken carcasses, the carcasses are immersedinto a tank containing a quantity of the sanitizing solution. Thesanitizing solution is preferably agitated to increase the efficacy ofthe solution and the speed in which the solution kills the bacteriaattached to the poultry carcass. Agitation may be through aeration bybubbling air through the solution or by mechanical means, such asstrainers, paddles, brushes or pump driven liquid jets. The sanitizingsolution may also be heated to increase the efficacy of the solution inkilling bacteria. It is preferable that each carcass be immersed in thesanitizing solution after the carcass is eviscerated and before thecarcass is placed in a chiller tank.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the carcasses aresprayed with a fatty acid spray solution. The spray solution preferablyincludes a sufficient amount of buffering acid such as hydrochloric acidto maintain the solution at an acidic pH, preferably at a pH from about2.0 to 4.0. The spray solution also preferably includes an effectiveamount of citric acid to increase the antibacterial activity of thefatty acids with respect to Gram-negative bacteria such as Salmonella,Campylobacter, Listeria, Enterobacteracae and Pseudomonas. An emulsionis made, by mechanical agitation, of the fatty acids in the solution tobe sprayed. The spray solution also preferably includes an effectiveamount of a polysaccharide such as xanthan gum, alginic acid or thethickener sold under the trademark Carbopol to stabilize the fatty acidemulsion and to act as a thickening agent. The polysaccharide thickensthe spray solution and generally prevents the spray solution from simplyrunning off the chicken carcass upon application.

During application of the spray solution on carcasses, the surface ofthe carcasses are preferably agitated. Agitation may be by physicalscrubbing of the carcasses, through the action of the spray solutionunder pressure or by other means. The agitation increases the efficacyof the spray solution in killing bacteria, perhaps due to betterexposure of the solution into crevasses containing bacteria. The spraysolution may also be heated to increase its efficacy. If the spraysolution is to be heated, spraying should occur after plucking and priorto immersion in the chiller. After a sufficient amount of time to killthe bacteria on the carcasses, the spray solution may be rinsed off thechicken carcasses.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the objects of the present invention are: to provide improvedcompositions and methods for treating poultry and other animal carcassesto eradicate Salmonella and other bacteria from the carcass surface; toprovide such a composition and method for use on carcasses includingpoultry, pork, beef, turkey, lamb, fish and other seafood; to providesuch compositions that may be utilized to dip or spray the carcass to bedisinfected; to provide such compositions and methods that do notadversely affect organoleptic qualities such as the taste, texture andappearance of food products produced from the treated carcass; toprovide such compositions and methods which will readily meet Federalregulatory requirements for food processing; to provide suchcompositions and methods that quickly and effectively eradicateSalmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Enterobacteracae and Pseudomonasand other bacteria from processed carcasses; to provide suchcompositions and methods that are relatively easy and inexpensive toprepare and to use and are particularly well adapted for their intendedusages thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description wherein is set forth, by way of illustrationand example, certain embodiments of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific composition and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in theart to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed form.

The present invention comprises novel compositions and methods forcontrolling Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Enterobacteracae andPseudomonas bacteria on the surface of meat carcasses, particularlypoultry. In general, the compositions comprise aqueous bacteriocidalsolutions having an effective concentration of a fatty acid or mixtureof fatty acids that are edible by humans in the concentrations found onthe carcasses subsequent to treatment. The preferred fatty acids arethose having from six to twelve carbon atoms and are hereinaftergenerally referred to as medium chain fatty acids. The fatty acids mayalso be classified as monobasic acids.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is used as a bacterialsanitizing solution wherein poultry carcasses are immersed in an aeratedtumble tank containing the bacteriocidal sanitizing solution. Thesanitizing solution generally comprises water, an effective amount of amedium chain fatty acid or mixtures thereof, a sufficient amount of abuffering acid, such as hydrochloric acid, to maintain the pH of thesolution between 2.0 and 4.0, and an effective amount of a chelatingagent such as citric acid to increase the bacteriocidal action of themedium chain fatty acids.

The preferred medium chain fatty acids comprise caprylic acid havingeight carbon atoms per molecule and capric acid having ten carbon atomsper molecule. Caprylic acid and capric acid are preferably used in aratio of sixty percent by weight caprylic acid to forty percent byweight capric acid for the total medium chain fatty acid content.

Although the medium chain fatty acids have low solubilities in water,the concentration of medium chain fatty acids used in the sanitizingsolution is small enough that the medium chain fatty acids will bedissolved in the water such that a surfactant is not required. However,it would be preferable to sell and distribute the sanitizing solution ina concentrated form wherein a user would dilute the concentratedsanitizing solution in water to prepare the final, usable sanitizingsolution. In a concentrated form, the concentration of the medium chainfatty acids with respect to the amount of water present would be suchthat the medium chain fatty acids would not remain in solution.Therefore an effective amount of a solubilizing short chain carboxylicacid such as acetic acid may be added to the concentrated sanitizingsolution to maintain the medium chain fatty acids in solution.

It is hypothesized that the lethal effect of the sanitizing solution onSalmonella and other enteric pathogens and spoilage organisms is afunction of both the hydrogen ion concentration of the low pH solutionand of the antimicrobial effect of the fatty acids in the solution.Salmonella is classified as a Gram-negative bacteria. Although fattyacids by themselves are effective in eradicating Gram-positive bacteria,they are not effective by themselves in eradicating Gram-negativebacteria at neutral pH. However, the efficacy of the antimicrobialeffect of fatty acids against Gram-negative bacteria such as Salmonellais greatly enhanced by lowering the pH and using the fatty acid with achelating agent such as citric acid. Other effective chelating agentsinclude polyphosphoric acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).

Propionic acid which exhibits a bacteriocidal effect is highly solublein water. Therefore, an effective amount of propionic acid may be addedto the sanitizing solution to eradicate enteric pathogens and spoilageorganisms in the aqueous phase wherein the aqueous phase comprises anaqueous layer typically found on poultry carcasses during processing.The aqueous phase may also comprise the sanitizing solution itself suchthat propionic acid prevents cross-transfer of bacteria from carcass tocarcass while the carcasses are immersed in the sanitizing solution.

Carcasses to be treated are immersed, dipped or submerged in a tankcontaining the sanitizing solution. Poultry carcasses are preferablyimmersed in the sanitizing solution after scalding, plucking andevisceration and prior to chilling in a chill tank.

In using the sanitizing solution, the following operating parameters ordesign considerations can be used to meet process objectives andindustry regulations; concentration of the dipping solution, temperatureof the sanitizing solution and retention time of carcasses in thesanitizing solution. The primary objective in using the sanitizingsolution is to eradicate bacteria from carcasses during processing. Thisprimary objective must be balanced against the objectives of minimizingcosts and minimizing damage to the carcass. The process must also meetFederal regulations which provide that carcasses gain no more than eightpercent water weight during processing and regulations restricting theheating of carcasses during processing. Increasing the concentration andtemperature of the sanitizing solution and increasing the length of timethe carcasses are contacted with the sanitizing solution increases theeffectiveness of the sanitizing solution in eradicating bacteria.However, increasing each of these parameters also increases costs,carcass damage and percent water gain thus requiring optimization ofthese parameters.

The concentration of medium chain fatty acids in the sanitizing solutionis preferably 50 to 1500 parts per million (ppm). The concentration ofcitric acid in the sanitizing solution is preferably 100 to 3000 ppm andthe concentrations of acetic acid and propionic acid in the sanitizingsolution are preferably in the range of 100 to 20,000 ppm and 100 to1000 ppm respectively. The temperature of the sanitizing solution ispreferably elevated over 50 degrees F., and at least over 75 degrees F.Fahrenheit. However, the temperature of the sanitizing solution shouldnot exceed the temperature of the poultry carcasses immediately afterscalding, plucking and evisceration which generally ranges from 98° to100° F. In using the sanitizing solution to treat pork carcasses, it isforeseeable that the sanitizing solution could be heated up to 150degrees F. Poultry carcasses are preferably immersed in the sanitizingsolution for at least five minutes and generally no longer than 30minutes.

The sanitizing solution is preferably aerated or agitated during use inthe tank. The sanitizing solution may be agitated through the use ofultrasound, paddles, brushes or other physical means. Aeration may be bybubbling or by other methods well known in the art.

Hypochlorous acid may be added to the chill tank and sanitizing tank toprovide a secondary bacteriocide. The efficacy of hypochlorous acid as abacteriocide increases with decreasing pH. It is theorized that the lowpH of any sanitizing solution remaining on the chicken carcasses whenimmersed in the chill tank would increase the efficacy of thehypochlorous acid as a bacteriocide.

It is foreseeable that alpha hydroxy substituted fatty acids such asalpha hydroxy caprylic acid may be used instead of or in combinationwith aliphatic medium chain fatty acids. It is also foreseeable that thesanitizing solution may include a bacteriocidal effective amount of oneor more dibasic acids such as oxalic acid, succinic acid and malic acid.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is used as a spraysolution wherein meat, such as poultry carcasses, are sprayed with thespray solution. The spray solution generally comprises water, aneffective amount of a fatty acid or mixtures thereof, a sufficientamount of a buffering acid, such as hydrochloric acid, to maintain thepH of the solution between 2.0 and 4.0, an effective amount of achelating agent such as citric acid to increase the bacteriocidal actionof the fatty acids and a sufficient amount of a thickener to allow thespray solution to stick to or hold on to the carcass on which it isapplied.

As with the sanitizing solution used with immersion, the preferredmedium chain fatty acids in the spray solution are caprylic acid andcapric acid in a ratio of sixty to forty parts by weight. The preferredchelating agent is citric acid but may include polyphosphoric acid andethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Polysaccharides may be used as athickener or binding agent and the preferred thickener is xanthan gum.Other thickeners that may be used include alginic acid and the thickenersold under the trademark Carbopol. The components of the spray solutionare combined to form an emulsion and then sprayed on carcasses. Thespray solution is allowed to remain on the carcass a predeterminedlength of time and then rinsed off with water.

The following examples are provided for the purpose of illustrating thepresent invention and are not intended to be limiting upon the scope ofthe invention.

EXAMPLE #1

Tests were conducted to determine the bacteriocidal activity of fivedifferent fatty acid solutions against in vitro Salmonella typhimurium.The first or C3 solution consisted of 40 grams acetic acid, 20 gramspropionic acid, 10 grams citric acid, 5 grams hydrochloric acid and 25grams water. The second or C6 solution consisted of 40 grams aceticacid, 20 grams caproic acid, 10 grams citric acid, 5 grams hydrochloricacid and 25 grams water. The third or C3-C8 solution consisted of 40grams acetic acid, 20 grams propionic acid, 10 grams caprylic acid(eight carbon atoms), 10 grams citric acid, 5 grams hydrochloric acidand 25 grams water. The fourth or C3-C8-C10 solution consisted of 35grams acetic acid, 5 grams propionic acid, 6 grams caprylic acid, 4grams capric acid (ten carbon atoms), 10 grams citric acid, 5 gramshydrochloric acid, 5 grams DDBSA(dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid) and 30grams water. The fifth or C8-C10 solution consisted of 40 grams aceticacid, 6 grams caprylic acid, 4 grams capric acid, 10 grams citric acid,5 grams hydrochloric acid, 5 grams DDBSA and 30 grams water.

The bacteriocidal activity of these solutions was tested using theGermicidal and Detergent Sanitizer Test procedure presented in theOfficial Methods of Analysis of the AOAC, Fourteenth Edition, Chapter 4,Disinfectants paragraphs 4.020-4.029, which was modified by plating, onereplicate sample after a 30 second exposure rather than duplicatesamples after 30 and 60 seconds. The inoculum employed was Salmonellatyphimurium ATCC No. 6539. The sanitizing solutions were tested atdilutions of 1:2000. All dilutions were prepared in AOAC Synthetic HardWater, 400 ppm as calcium carbonate. The results are summarized in Table#1.

                  TABLE #1                                                        ______________________________________                                        Solution  Percent Kill After 30 Second Exposure                               ______________________________________                                        C3        >99.999                                                             C6        >99.999                                                             C3-C8     >99.999                                                             C3-C8-C10 >99.999                                                             C8-C10    >99.999                                                             ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE #2

Ten whole chicken carcasses were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium(Nalidixic acid resistant strain) and Escherichia coli (E. coli)cultures. The carcasses were inoculated by first preparing stocksolutions of approximately 30 milliliters (ml) each of Salmonellatyphimurium and E. coli in saline at a Macfarland #3 microorganism level(30 million organisms per cubic centimeter). 10 ml each of theSalmonella typhimurium and E. coli stock solutions were then added to2.5 gallons of saline to form a first inoculating solution. A secondinoculating solution was formed in the same manner as the firstinoculating solution. Five whole eviscerated chicken carcassescomprising the treatment group were allowed to soak in the firstinoculating solution for 30 minutes. Five whole chicken carcassescomprising a control group were allowed to soak in the secondinoculating solution for 30 minutes. The five carcasses comprising thetreatment group were retrieved, drained and transferred to a barrel(Barrel #1) containing a bacteriocidal solution at room temperature. Thefive carcasses comprising the control group were similarly retrieved,drained and transferred to a barrel containing a control solutionidentified below and at room temperature.

The bacteriocidal solution was prepared from a concentrate solutioncomprising sixty percent acetic acid, five percent hydrochloric acid,five percent propionic acid, ten percent citric acid, ten percent waterand ten percent fatty acids by weight. Sixty percent of the fatty acids(six percent of the concentrate solution) were capric acid (eight carbonatoms) and forty percent of the fatty acids (four percent of theconcentrate solution) were capric acid (ten carbon atoms). 0.444 ml ofthe concentrate solution were added to twenty gallons of de-ionizedwater to prepare the bacteriocidal solution. The concentration of fattyacids in the bacteriocidal solution was approximately 586 parts permillion (ppm). The control solution was 20 gallons of de-ionized water.

The inoculated chicken carcasses in the bacteriocidal solution and thecontrol solution were then agitated for thirty minutes at roomtemperature. The carcasses were then removed from the bacteriocidalsolution and the control solution and drained. The carcasses wereevaluated for bacterial contamination by individually shaking eachcarcass for one minute in a bag with a rinse solution comprising 100 mlof sterile water. The rinse solution was then poured back into sterilevials and diluted from 10(-1) to 10(-8) using 9.0 ml peptone blanks andplate on TPC (Total Plate Count) Petrifilm. The TPC petrifilm was readand recorded after 48 hours. Appropriate volumes of 10 times normalconcentration selenite cystine broth (10X SCB) were then added andallowed to incubate overnight. After 24 hours of incubation of SCB, eachvile was streaked on XLD (xylosinedicarboxylate) with 100 ppm Nalidixicacid. After 24 hours indications of whether Salmonella was present(+) orabsent(-) was read directly from the Nalidixic acid XLD plates. Theresults are shown in Table 2.

                  TABLE #2                                                        ______________________________________                                                     TPC (CFU/ML)*                                                                            Salmonella                                            ______________________________________                                        Control Carcasses                                                             Control #1      6,300       (+)                                               Control #2     11,000       (+)                                               Control #3     10,000       (+)                                               Control #4      6,000       (+)                                               Control #5      5,900       (+)                                               Treated Carcasses                                                             Treated #1     <10          (-)                                               Treated #2     <10          (-)                                               Treated #3     <10          (-)                                               Treated #4     <10          (-)                                               Treated #5     <10          (-)                                               ______________________________________                                         *CFR = Colony Forming Units, ML  milliliters                             

EXAMPLE #3

The procedure disclosed in Example #2 above was repeated with 25 morechicken carcasses with changes in procedure as noted below. Afterinoculation, five of the carcasses were placed in a control solutionsimilar to that in Example #2 but at 10° Centigrade (C.), five carcasseswere placed in a Barrel #2 containing the bacteriocidal solution asdisclosed in Example #2 diluted to 50 ppm fatty acids, five carcasseswere placed in a Barrel #3 containing the bacteriocidal solution asdisclosed in Example #2 diluted to 100 ppm fatty acids, five carcasseswere placed in a Barrel #4 containing the bacteriocidal solution asdisclosed in Example #2 diluted to 250 ppm fatty acids, and fivecarcasses were placed in a Barrel #5 containing the bacteriocidalsolution as disclosed in Example #2. The temperature of bacteriocidalsolutions was maintained at 10° C. The results are shown in Table #3.

                  TABLE #3                                                        ______________________________________                                        Treatment of Innoculated Carcasses                                            in Sanitizing Solutions at 10° C.                                                 TPC (CFU/ML)                                                                             Salmonella                                              ______________________________________                                        Control Carcasses                                                             Control #1   5,900        (+)                                                 Control #2   8,900        (+)                                                 Control #3   9,500        (+)                                                 Control #4   10,600       (+)                                                 Control #5   11,200       (+)                                                 Barrel #2 Treated Carcasses (50 PPM)                                          Treated #1   16,200       (+)                                                 Treated #2   8,100        (+)                                                 Treated #3   6,200        (+)                                                 Treated #4   7,200        (+)                                                 Treated #5   5,400        (+)                                                 Barrel #3 Treated Carcasses (100 PPM)                                         Treated #1   12,200       (+)                                                 Treated #2   6,200        (+)                                                 Treated #3   9,300        (+)                                                 Treated #4   7,300        (+)                                                 Treated #5   5,400        (+)                                                 Barrel #4 Treated Carcasses (250 PPM)                                         Treated #1   2,800        (+)                                                 Treated #2   4,400        (+)                                                 Treated #3   1,200        (+)                                                 Treated #4   4,400        (+)                                                 Treated #5   3,300        (+)                                                 Barrel #5 Treated Carcasses (500 PPM)                                         Treated #1   3,700        (+)                                                 Treated #2     20         (+)                                                 Treated #3     370        (+)                                                 Treated #4    <10         (+)                                                 Treated #5    <10         (+)                                                 ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE #4

A sanitizing solution was prepared by diluting a sanitizing solutionconcentrate comprising 50 grams acetic acid, 10 grams caprylic acid(eight carbon atoms), 10 grams citric acid, 5 grams hydrochloric acidand 25 grams water with enough water to reduce the concentration ofcaprylic acid to 490 ppm. Thirty five chicken drumettes were soaked in asolution containing a mixture of Salmonella enterididis and Salmonellatyphimurium at a concentration equal to 50,000 bacteria per milliliterfor 30 minutes at room temperature. Fifteen of these drumettes orinoculated controls were placed in a lactose broth without treatmentwith the sanitizing solution. The remaining twenty drumettes ortreatment drumettes were immersed in the sanitizing solution at roomtemperature for 30 minutes during which time the sanitizing solution wasagitated. These twenty drumettes were then placed in a lactose broth.Five drumettes or untreated controls were placed in a lactose brothwithout inoculation in the Salmonella mixture or treatment with thesanitizing solution. The drumettes were incubated in the lactose brothfor 24 hours. After the 24 hour incubation, one ml was take from thebroth in which each drumette soaked and place in 10 mls of tetrathionatebroth and in 10 mls selenite cystine broth. The tetrathionate andselenite cystine broths were then incubated for 16 hours. One ml of eachsample was then transferred to a 10 ml tube of GN broth and incubatedfor an additional 6 hours. The samples were then analyzed using the GeneTrak system. All the untreated controls tested positive for Salmonella.Thirteen out of the fifteen inoculated controls tested positive forSalmonella. Nineteen out of the twenty treated drumettes (95%) testednegative for Salmonella.

EXAMPLE #5

The procedure as disclosed in Example #2 was repeated for an additionalten whole eviscerated carcasses except that the bacteriocidal solutionwas diluted to 650 ppm fatty acids. The carcasses were immersed for 30minutes at room temperature. The results are shown in Table #5.

                  TABLE #5                                                        ______________________________________                                                     CONTROL  BACTERIOCIDAL                                                        SOLUTION SOLUTION                                                ______________________________________                                        TOTAL PLATE COUNT                                                                            44,000-62,000                                                                            LESS THAN 10                                        COLIFORMS      4,400-7,800                                                                              LESS THAN 10                                        ESCHERICHIA COLI                                                                             5,100-7,800                                                                              LESS THAN 10                                        SALMONELLA     POSITIVE   ALL NEGATIVE                                        ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE #6

Five sets of five uninoculated chicken wings were treated with either acontrol solution or one of four concentrations of a bacteriocidal spraysolution. The control solution comprises water. A first bacteriocidalspray solution comprises 0.5 percent fatty acids, 10 percent citricacid, enough hydrochloric acid to lower the Ph of the solution to 2.5,0.5 percent xanthan gum and the rest water. The concentration of fattyacids was increased to 1.0 percent in a second bacteriocidal spraysolution, 2.0 percent in a third bacteriocidal spray solution, and 4.0percent in a fourth bacteriocidal spray solution. The fatty acidscomprise 60 percent Caprylic acid and 40 percent Capric acid.Concentrations are weight percents.

The bacteriocidal spray solutions were agitated by stirring to form anemulsion of the fatty acids in water. Each of the bacteriocidal spraysolutions and the control solution were then sprayed on five separatechicken wings. The bacteriocidal spray solutions and the controlsolution were left on the carcasses for ten minutes and then thecarcasses were rinsed for one hour in cold water to simulate a chilltank. The wings were then cultured. The results are shown in Table 6.

                  TABLE #6                                                        ______________________________________                                                                Average Total                                                                 Plate Count                                           Solution (Fatty Acid Concentration)                                                                   After Treatment                                       ______________________________________                                        Control (Water)         382 CFU/cm.sup.2                                      First Bacteriocidal Spray Solution (0.5%)                                                             182 CFU/cm.sup.2                                      Second Bacteriocidal Spray Solution (1.0%)                                                            146 CFU/cm.sup.2                                      Third Bacteriocidal Spray Solution (2.0%)                                                             234 CFU/cm.sup.2                                      Fourth Bacteriocidal Spray Solution (4.0%)                                                            134 CFU/cm.sup.2                                      ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE #7

A culture of Salmonella typhimurium was grown to McFarland #1 density(10 million organisms per cubic centimeter) in one liter of lactosebroth in order to artificially contaminate chicken parts. One liter of a500 parts per million (ppm) fatty acid solution was prepared by dilutingwith water a concentrated fatty acid solution comprising 10 percentfatty acids, 60 percent acetic acid, 10 percent citric acid, 5 percenthydrochloric acid and 15 percent water. The fatty acids comprised 60percent Caproic acid (six carbon atoms) and 40 percent Caprylic acid.One liter of isotonic saline and thirty one-hundred milliliter aliquotsof lactose broth were also prepared.

Thirty freshly processed chicken drumettes were collected at aprocessing plant and separated into three groups of ten. One group wasplaced directly in lactose broth for Salmonella screening. Each of theten drumettes in this group was placed in an individual plastic bottlecontaining one-hundred milliliters of sterile lactose broth. These wereincubated 18 to 24 hours as the primary enrichment step for Salmonellascreening. This group forms a natural baseline for the experiment.

A second group was placed in the prepared culture of Salmonella. Theculture was at a temperature of 22° Centigrade (°C.). These were allowedto soak for thirty minutes and then transferred to one liter of isotonicsaline at 22° C. After thirty minutes in the saline solution thedrumettes were placed in individual bottles of lactose broth forSalmonella screening as with the first group. This group is theartificially contaminated untreated control for the experiment.

The third group was soaked in the Salmonella culture in the same manneras group two. This group was then soaked in a fatty acid solution forthirty minutes at a temperature of 22° C. The drumettes were removedfrom the fatty acid solution and placed in individual bottles of lactosebroth as with the other groups. All thirty samples were cultured forSalmonella according to the Food and Drug Administration BiologicalAnalytical Manual procedure. The use of caproic acid produced anunacceptably pungent and malodorous carcass. The results are shown inTable 7.

                  TABLE #7                                                        ______________________________________                                        Group   No. Salmonella Positive                                                                        % Salmonella Positive                                ______________________________________                                        1       0                 0                                                   2       10               100                                                  3       6                 60                                                  ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE #8

Twenty chicken carcasses were weighed (ten for a control group and tenfor a test group). The ten control carcasses were immersed in water at130° Fahrenheit for five minutes, rinsed for 30 minutes in an ice bathand allowed to drain for 10 minutes. The control carcasses werereweighed and the weights were recorded.

The ten test carcasses were immersed in a bacteriocidal solution at 130°Fahrenheit for five minutes, rinsed for 30 minutes in an ice bath andallowed to drain for 10 minutes. The test carcasses were reweighed andthe weights were recorded. The bacteriocidal solution was prepared froma concentrate solution comprising by weight sixty percent acetic acid,five percent hydrochloric acid, five percent propionic acid, ten percentcitric acid, ten percent water and ten percent fatty acids. The fattyacids were sixty percent caprylic acid and forty percent capric acid.The concentrate solution was diluted to 675 parts fatty acids permillion in water. The results are presented in Table 8.

                  TABLE #8                                                        ______________________________________                                        Weight Before  Weight After                                                                             Difference                                          (grams)        (grams)    (grams)   % Gain                                    ______________________________________                                        Controls                                                                       1     519.1       531.4      12.3    2.4                                      2     566.8       579.0      12.2    2.2                                      3     577.8       587.6       9.8    1.7                                      4     562.4       573.8      11.8    2.1                                      5     623.9       635.2      11.3    1.8                                      6     635.1       642.4       7.3    1.1                                      7     601.7       619.8       7.3    1.2                                      8     667.1       679.2      12.1    1.8                                      9     676.6       689.4      12.8    1.9                                     10     491.9       499.4       7.5    1.5                                     Tests                                                                         11     533.2       570.1      36.9    6.9                                     12     588.7       618.7      30.0    5.1                                     13     576.2       612.6      36.4    6.3                                     14     533.0       573.9      40.9    7.7                                     15     533.3       567.2      33.9    6.4                                     16     581.7       614.7      33.0    5.7                                     17     523.1       552.4      29.3    5.6                                     18     697.4       736.5      39.1    5.6                                     19     642.2       667.2      25.0    4.6                                     20     569.1       601.0      31.9    5.6                                     ______________________________________                                    

It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present inventionhave been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited tothe specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is asfollows:
 1. An animal carcass sanitizing solution composition fortreating an animal carcass to eradicate bacteria from the carcasswherein:(a) said composition is substantially surfactant and sodium saltfree and said composition comprises: (b) a quantity of water; (c) anamount of a medium chain fatty acid suitable for consumption by a humanwhich is soluble in said quantity of water and wherein the concentrationof fatty acid in said quantity of water is bacteriocidally effective;and (d) a sufficient amount of an acid suitable for consumption by ahuman is utilized to maintain the composition at an acid pH.
 2. Asanitizing solution composition for treating an animal carcass toeradicate bacteria from the carcass wherein:(a) said composition issubstantially surfactant free and comprises: (b) a quantity of water;(c) an amount of a medium chain fatty acid suitable for consumption by ahuman which is soluble in said quantity of water and wherein theconcentration of fatty acid in said quantity of water is bacteriocidallyeffective; (d) a sufficient amount of an acid suitable for consumptionby a human is utilized to maintain the composition at an acid pH; and(e) a thickening agent.
 3. The composition as disclosed in claim 2wherein:(a) said medium chain fatty acid is selected from the group offatty acids having from six to twelve carbon atoms per molecule andmixtures thereof.
 4. The composition as disclosed in claim 3 wherein:(a)said fatty acid is selected from the group consisting essentially ofcaprylic acid, capric acid and mixtures thereof.
 5. The composition asdisclosed in claim 1 further comprising:(a) a chelating agent.
 6. Thecomposition as disclosed in claim 5 wherein:(a) said chelating agentcomprises citric acid.
 7. The composition as disclosed in claim 5wherein:(a) said chelating agent comprises polyphosphoric acid.
 8. Thecomposition as disclosed in claim 5 wherein:(a) said chelating agentcomprises phosphoric acid.
 9. The composition as disclosed in claim 1wherein:(a) said thickening agent comprises an effective amount of apolysaccharide.
 10. The composition as disclosed in claim 1 wherein:(a)said acid for maintaining the composition at an acid pH compriseshydrochloric acid.
 11. The composition as disclosed in claim 1wherein:(a) said acid for maintaining the composition at an acid pHcomprises phosphoric acid.
 12. The composition as disclosed in claim 1wherein:(a) said acid for maintaining the composition at an acid pHcomprises citric acid.
 13. The composition as disclosed in claim 1wherein:(a) the concentration of medium chain fatty acids in saidcomposition ranges from fifty to one thousand five hundred parts permillion.